Quick Take:
When he announced the closure of Michelin darling Manresa at the end of 2022, Santa Cruz-based chef David Kinch said he aimed to pursue “long-neglected passions.” What those might be is now coming into focus.
This story was originally featured in this week’s Lily Belli on Food newsletter. Be first the first to hear about food and drink news in Santa Cruz County — sign up for Lily’s email newsletter here and text alerts here.
David Kinch might have closed his three-Michelin-starred restaurant Manresa at the end of 2022, but the story is far from over for this Santa Cruz-based chef. Kinch, along with baker Avery Ruzicka and partner Andrew Burnham, plan to open a second location for Mentone, his popular Aptos restaurant; another Manresa Bread, the hit bakery that opened its first location in Santa Cruz in November; and a third, to-be-announced restaurant. All of this will be housed in a 7,100-square-foot mixed-use building at the Junction on Los Gatos Boulevard in Los Gatos, Kinch told San Francisco Chronicle on Jan. 13.
No opening dates have been set; the development is under construction and the lease is still being negotiated. In previous announcements, Kinch has said he is burned out from fine dining after operating Manresa for 20 years, and intends to focus on smaller, more casual dining projects and “long-neglected passions.” It looks as though 2023 will be an exciting year for the famed chef — and his many fans throughout the larger Bay Area.
